Chapter 147 A bet
All this trouble for a man she was unsure was her mate? What if he turned out not to be and all her time would be for nought. She had to find out herself. Astrid on the other hand had gone home to visit their parents and inform them of her plans to win over the King's favor, hopefully their parents would tarnish and disapprove her efforts and things would not have to get worse than they already are. Anaise was unaware of what her sister planned to do for the wedding or before it but she knew it wouldn't be good. She had been too quiet, too idle and whenever Astrid was quiet it always meant trouble.
Anaise would watch her sister meeting up with some of the council men in secret at one of the less occupied hallways, their voices always low in guarded hushed tones. Whatever Astrid had planned it was definitely going to be big and destructive.
She was yet to share any of her plans with Anaise yet the breadcrumbs of information she had gathered was enough to let Anaise know the wedding days would be the hours of reckoning. Unlike anything she had ever experienced Anaise's conscience was unforgiving and ruthless, thoughts of what Astrid planned to do swarming her mind every waking moment.
What if she tried to kill Audrey and succeeds? What if she gets caught and they will both be executed for treason against the crown. The Royal couple would be returning for the wedding in three weeks time and that meant Astrid had that much time to execute her plans, whatever they were.
"Lady Anaise, dear please come here" Faye calls Anaise into the main halls where servants were propped up on ladders, throwing around decorations and others lining the walls with bedazzled jewels and crystal decorations. This would certainly be the events of the century.
Anaise strolls up to her, noticing the large chest she held in her hands "Yes Madame Faye?"
Faye places the chest in Anaise's hand and the weight catches her off guard, resulting her almost falling forward. She huffs, balancing the chest on the ground close to her feet.
"I need you to please go to the crownsmith and retrieve Audrey's crown. The crownsmith had been working on it for quite a while now and it is finally ready, just in time as well. You would go to him in the town and put it in this here chest and lock it, when you get back but will be moved. Lord Ryker will accompany you"
At the mention of his name as if a button had been pushed Anaise's pulse began to race and heat crept under her skin. She glanced to the side to see him approaching them, looking ever so dashing in his attire, his sword hoisted firmly at his hip. He stopped in front of them, taking a bow but keeping his eyes locked on Anaise's. She swallowed, genuflecting as well.
"Lady Anaise, a pleasure to meet you as always"
Before Anaise could coordinate her numb tongue to move Faye beat her to it, "The coach is waiting for you outside, please do make haste before it gets dark and take the King's Road to avoid any hurdles on tour journey"
Ryker reaches down and lifts the chest all the way to the coach while Anaise watches, walking by his side and admiring the way his muscles rose and became so visible even with the thick cloth he wore. She was yet to realise they had arrived until Ryker peaks at her, wondering why she was yet to step into the carriage.
The coachman stood there, holding the door open for her but she was too busy admiring every freckle, inch, curve, bent and angle of Ryker's perfectly strewn features to notice. It was not until Ryker cleared his throat and gestures towards the carriage that she snaps out of her mind.
Heat smothers her cheeks the color of embarrassment, "My apologies" she quietly whispers before stepping into the carriage and having Ryker follow in soon after.
The door rasps shut and on they go.
Anaise tried to busy herself with picking at her dress to try forget how she had just been gawking at Ryker for almost five whole minutes and how much of a fool she must have looked like. If only she would have known Ryker would be coming along she would have prepared her nerves earlier before sitting so closely with him.
"I hope my advice was of some use to you" his deep timber came. Anaise turns, surprised he was speaking and to her? Highly unlikely, she had assumed he would think of her as clumsy and would wish the rest of the ride be accompanied with nothing more than silence but alas here he was, starting the conversation.
Anaise blinks, "Oh, yes. A great help actually, thank you" she manages a smile
His expression softens as well and he watches her closely, "Have you ever been to town before?"
"No, I haven't. Is it quite a long journey?" She asks, feigning concern when in actuality she did not mind spending that long in his presence, she however wished she could control herself.
"Unfortunately yes. We have to ride past the residents of those of nobility before we reach the town occupied by the commoners" he reaches down, pulling out a case. He props the strange container on his lap, fiddling with the zipper "Would you by any chance, want to play a game of chess to ease the time?"
Anaise watched him with shock and excitement. This was the first time he was showing this much interest, other times he would draw her in and pull away the closer she got but now he was the one pulling her closer. He must have known she loved to play chess but never got to because most of her friends did not know how.
"Of course, I love chess" she chirps enthusiastically as she watches Ryker pull out the board, carefully filing out the chess pieces and arranging them on the board as he drops the board between them.
"I hope you are prepared to loose, I am a gentleman so I will go easy on you for the first round" his voice holds a mocking undercurrent to it which Anaise finds amusing.
She scoffs, "Loose? You are sorely mistaken,I will be the winner and you needn't take it easy on me. I would hate for you to blame your loss on your gentlemanly approach"
Ryker glances at Anaise, a fire igniting his beautiful violet orbs. She didn't know if they were lit with arousal or mischief but it did not stop her from inhaling a shaky breath. Something about his eyes held promise to them, a deep burning passion, hidden away from her sight.
"How about this m'lady" Anaise's cheeks burn crimson but she veils it with her fan. "We place a bet"
"A bet?"
"Yes, a bet. When I win, you save me a dance during the Royal Wedding ball" his eyes glinted with a sultry haze.
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